Device for measuring the distances and directions of destinations on road maps

ABSTRACT

A device for measuring the distance and direction of destinations on road maps from a starting point is suggested which serves for the data input of intermediate destinations in navigation devices. The device comprises an angle measuring plate (10) with a 360-degree scale (13) which is arranged concentrically relative to a central borehole (14) and which begins with the north direction. A bracket (11) is supported at the central borehole (14) so as to be rotatable and carries a measuring tape case (12) at its end area (11b) and a guide (20) for a measuring tape (19) at its opposite end area (11c), the measuring tape (19) being arranged in such a way that, when drawn out of the measuring tape case (12), the measuring tape (19) extends away radially in an outward direction with its one lateral edge over the center of the degree scale (13). The input of distance and directional angle of an intermediate destination can be determined with a single adjustment with this device which has a compact construction, small dimensioning and large measuring range (FIG. 3).

PRIOR ART

The invention is based on a device for measuring the distance anddirection of destinations on road maps according to the generic part ofthe main claim. In such a commercially available measuring device forthe input of intermediate destinations in navigation devices of vehiclesit is known to arrange a 360-degree scale with an allocation of thecardinal points on a transparent measuring plate, wherein the degreescale is plotted in the clockwise direction proceeding from the northdirection. Moreover, the measuring plate, which has a practically squareshape, is provided at the sides with longitudinal scales in variousscales. A borehole, in which a thread is fastened, is located in thecenter of the degree scale. When the measuring plate is placed on a roadmap with the center borehole on the starting point and the measuringplate is aligned with the north direction on the north direction of theroad map, the angle of an intermediate destination can be determinedfrom the starting point with reference to the north direction, in thatthe thread is placed radially relative to the intermediate destinationfrom the central borehole. The directional angle can be read directly atthe point at which the thread crosses the degree scale and, for example,can be input manually in a navigation device by means of a keyboard. Thedirect distance between the starting point and the intermediatedestination can be measured by means of the corresponding longitudinalscale at the measuring plate, while taking into account the scale of theroad map, and can likewise be input in the navigation device. However,this solution has the disadvantage that the angle and the distance mustbe determined independently of one another by means of two differentworking steps for the input of each intermediate destination. Inaddition, the longitudinal scale must be searched again in each instancewith the correct scale when measuring distances. In road maps whosescales are not available on the measuring plate the distances must bedetermined by corresponding conversion. Moreover, the measuring threadcan easily be damaged or torn. With greater distances a bar measuringtool, or the like, is needed in addition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the present solution it is attempted to determine the distance andthe directional angle of an intermediate destination on a road map withonly one measuring step in order to input it manually into a navigationdevice.

In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparenthereinafter, one feature of the invention resides, briefly stated, in adevice of this type comprising the bracket having a guide at its otherend area for the measuring tape which can be drawn out of said measuringtape case, wherein the guide is arranged in such a way that themeasuring tape, when pulled out, extends away radially in an outwarddirection with its one lateral edge over a center of the scale on theangle measuring plate.

The device according to the invention, which comprises thecharacteristic features of the main claim, has the advantage that themeasuring tape, which is rotatable with the bracket around the center ofthe angle measuring plate, can be pulled out of the measuring tape caseuntil the selected intermediate destination in one measuring step, andthe distance of the intermediate destination from the starting point,which coincides with the center of the angle measuring plate, can thenbe read off on the scale, and its angular deviation from the northdirection can be read off on the degree scale simultaneously. The inputof the intermediate destinations is accordingly substantiallysimplified, accelerated and facilitated. Another advantage is that themeasuring tape is guided back again into the measuring tape case aftercompleting the measurements and is accordingly protected against damage.

Advantageous developments and improvements of the characteristicfeatures indicated in the main claim are made possible by means of thesteps mentioned in the subclaims. It is particularly advantageous if themeasuring tape case is fastened on the bracket so that it can be tiltedhorizontally relative to the angle measuring plate out of a verticalworking position in order to minimize as much as possible the spacerequired for placing this measuring device in the vehicle. The handlingof the measuring device according to the invention can be furtherimproved in that the measuring tape case can be locked in its folded upworking position on the bracket. The measuring tape case is fastened ina housing in an advantageous manner, the housing is supported on a lowerlongitudinal side on the bracket by a hinge and is lockable in theworking position behind a projection of the bracket by means of a catch.A further improvement in the handling of the measuring device isachieved in that the projection of the bracket clamps the measuring tapeat the housing in the working position of the measuring tape case, whichis provided with a restoring spring. In addition, it is advantageous ifa support for the measuring tape is formed on next to the catch at thehousing of the diaphragm case, which support effects the clamping of themeasuring tape in the working position with the projection of thebracket and cancels the clamping when folded down. The accuracy of theangle measurement and reading is improved in that the guide of themeasuring tape consists of two ribs which are formed on laterally at thebracket and through which the measuring tape runs, and additionally inthat the bracket has an edge in the area of the degree scale, which edgeis aligned with the measuring tape at its side which guides along thecenter of the angle measuring plate. Handling and measuring accuracy canbe further improved in that the free end of the measuring tape carries ahandle clip which forms a stop at the housing of the measuring tape casewhen the measuring tape is rolled in, and in that the handle clip has anedge on one side which is aligned with the measuring tape and thebracket, which edge has a notch at the free end of the measuring tape.

DRAWING

An embodiment example of the invention is shown in the drawing and isexplained in more detail in the following description. FIG. 1 shows aspatial enlarged view of the measuring device, according to theinvention, with a folded down measuring tape case, FIG. 2 shows the samemeasuring device in the working position with folded up measuring tapecase in an enlarged spatial view, and FIG. 3 shows the measuring devicefor measuring an intermediate destination on a road map.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT EXAMPLE

The device shown in the drawing for measuring the distance and directionof destinations on road maps from a predetermined starting pointconsists of an angle measuring plate 10, on which a bracket 11 isfastened so as to be rotatable, the bracket 11 in turn carries ameasuring tape case 12, the angle measuring plate 10 is produced fromtransparent plastic and is provided on the underside with a 360-degreescale 13, a central borehole 14 being arranged in the center of thelatter. A scale 15, by means of which the north direction can beadjusted on the angle measuring plate in each instance with the help ofthe longitudinal degrees of a road map, is plotted on the upper andlower edges of the angle measuring plate 10. An arrow 16 in the degreescale indicates the north direction, from which the degree scale 13proceeds in the clockwise direction. Another means of assistance foraligning the north direction of the angle measuring plate 10 on the roadmap is formed by vertical and horizontal lines 17 within the degreescale 13 which are shown in FIG. 3. The bracket 11 is fastened by atubular rivet 18 at its central area 11a so as to be rotatable at thecentral borehole 14 of the angle measuring plate 10. A bearing for thebracket 11 is provided on the angle measuring plate 10 by means of athin plastic disk, which is not visible and is located between the anglemeasuring plate 10 and the bracket 11, the bearing prevents the bracket11 from rubbing on the angle measuring plate 10 when the bracket 11rotates. The bracket carries the measuring tape case 12 on its rear endarea 11b located next to the bearing. The bracket 11 has a guide at itsfront end area 11c for the measuring tape 19 which is pulled out of themeasuring tape case 12. The guide of the measuring tape case 19 consistsof two semicircular guide ribs 20 which are formed on laterally at thebracket 11, the measuring tape 19 being guided through between them. Itcan be seen from FIG. 3 that the upper lateral edge of the pulled outmeasuring tape 19 extends away radially in an outward direction throughthis guide over the center of the angle measuring plate in the centralborehole 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, the measuring tape case 12 is fastened on thebracket 11 so that it can be folded down out of its vertical workingposition toward the angle measuring plate 10. For this purpose, themeasuring tape case, which is provided with a restoring spring for themeasuring tape 19, is inserted in a housing 21 of plastic which issupported on the rear, lower longitudinal side by a hinge 22 on thebracket 11. The housing 21, with the measuring tape case 12 on thebracket 11, can be folded up into a vertical working position by meansof this hinge 22, as shown in FIG. 2. The housing 21 of the measuringtape case 12 is provided on the underside with a catch 23 which locks inthe working position behind a projection 24 of the bracket, as can beseen in an exposed view of the bracket 11 in FIG. 2. Recesses 25 areprovided in the bracket 11 in front of and behind the projection 24, thecatch 23 and a guide part 26 at the housing 21 of the measuring tapecase 12 engage in these recesses 25 in the working position.

In order to facilitate the handling of the measuring tape 19 whenmeasuring an intermediate destination, a support 27 is formed on next tothe catch 23 at the housing 21 of the measuring tape case 12, whichsupport 27 effects a clamping of the measuring tape 19 with theprojection 24 of the bracket 11 in the working position of the measuringtape case 12 (FIG. 2), but cancels this clamping when folded down, sothat the measuring tape 19 can then be drawn into the measuring tapecase 12 again by the restoring spring. The bracket 11 has a rib 21 whichis formed on along its front side and which serves partly to guide themeasuring tape 19 and partly to position the housing 21 in the workingposition of the measuring tape case 12. In addition, the bracket 11 isprovided with an edge 29 in its end area 11c remote of the measuringtape case 12 in the area of the degree scale 13, which edge 29 extendsradially relative to the center of the angle measuring plate 10 andconsequently is aligned with the drawn out measuring tape 19 at itsupper side which leads over the center of the angle measuring plate 10.It is accordingly ensured that the exact directional angle can be readon the degree scale 13 with this edge 29 when measuring an intermediatedestination. In order to prevent the directional angle from being readon the wrong side of the bracket 11, the end area 11c of the bracket 11can be constructed as a point, or the rest of the area can be roundedand possibly provided with a hatching 30.

At its free end 19a, the measuring tape 19 carries a riveted on handleclip 31 which, as can be seen in FIG. 1, forms a stop at the housing 21of the measuring tape case 12 when the measuring tape 19 is rolled in,in that it rests against the housing 21 behind the catch 23 with itsshoulder 32 which projects forward laterally at the measuring tape 19.In order to place the free end 19a of the measuring tape 19 asaccurately as possible on an intermediate destination the handle clip 31is provided with a notch 33 on the longitudinal side of the measuringtape 19 at the free end 19a of the measuring tape 19, which longitudinalside leads over the center of the angle measuring plate 10. In order toavoid measuring with the wrong side of the measuring tape 19 the handleclip 31 likewise has a hatching 34 on the area remote of the notch 33(FIG. 2).

FIG. 3 shows the section of a road map 35 from which an intermediatedestination B is to be measured from a starting point A with themeasuring device according to the invention in order to input itsdistance and directional angle into a navigation device of a motorvehicle. For this purpose, the angle measuring plate 10 of the measuringdevice is first placed with the central borehole 14 on the startingpoint A of the road map 35. Next, by means of the longitudinal degrees36 plotted on the road map 35, the angle measuring plate 10 anddirectional arrow 16 are exactly aligned with the north direction of theroad map 36 by means of the lines 17 and the scale 15. In case themeasuring tape case 12 was not yet put into its working positionbeforehand, it is now folded up and locked with the bracket 11. By meansof the handle clip 31 the measuring tape 19 is now pulled out of themeasuring tape case 12 until the free end 19a of the measuring tape 19comes to rest in the notch 33 of the handle clip 31 on the selectedintermediate destination B. The direct distance to the intermediatedestination is now read off in millimeters on the measuring tape 19 atthe starting point A in the central borehole 14 of the angle measuringplate 10. In order to input this distance in the navigation device thescale of the road map 35 is determined beforehand and input by means ofa data input of the navigation device. The intermediate destinationdistance is then fed into the navigation device via the input and,finally, the directional angle of the intermediate destination Brelative to the north direction at the edge 29 of the bracket 11 is readon the degree scale 13, 270 degrees in the example, in order to likewisefeed it into the navigation device via the data input. Of course, thismay be done in the reverse sequence by first inputting the directionalangle and then the distance of the intermediate destination B from thestarting point A in the navigation device.

By means of a compound navigation, the position of the vehicle withreference to the input intermediate destination can then be determinedand indicated by means of the input data. If a plurality of intermediatedestinations are to be traveled one after the other, the individualintermediate destinations of the road map 35, or of a plurality of roadmaps, are measured one after the other and input in the navigationdevice by means of the data input. It is substantial that for eachintermediate destination the distance, as well as the directional angle,can be determined with the measuring device according to the inventionin only one measuring step. When all intermediate destinations aremeasured the housing 21, with the measuring tape case 12, is folded downagain into the rest position on the angle measuring plate 10, whereinthe clamping of the measuring tape 19 by means of the projection 24 ofthe bracket 11 is canceled and the measuring tape 19 is automaticallydrawn back by the restoring spring into the initial position shown inFIG. 1. By means of using the collapsible measuring tape case 12, themeasuring device, which is seen in the original size in FIG. 1, has acompact construction with small dimensioning on the one hand and, on theother hand, because of the guiding of the relatively long measuringtape, has a large and accurate measuring range which is also sufficientfor large city maps and road maps.

Deviations from the embodiment example can be carried out within theframework of the present invention. Thus, it is possible, for example,to provide a film hinge or an imitation piano hinge, instead of the doorhinge 22, for fastening the diaphragm case on the bracket so that it maybe folded down. It is also possible within the framework of theinvention to provide the measuring tape 19 without clamping in theworking position or to provide it with a conventional locking meanswithin the diaphragm case 12 which can be canceled by means of actuatinga push button in a known manner.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofconstructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in adevice for measuring the distance and direction of destination on roadmaps, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, sincevarious modifications and structural changes may be made withoutdeparting in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims.
 1. In a device for measuring thedistance and direction of destinations on road maps from a startingpoint for the input of intermediate destinations in navigation devices,comprising a transparent angle measuring plate (10) which has a centralborehole (14) and a 360-degree scale (13) arranged concentricallyrelative to the central borehole and having a mark for the northdirection for the beginning of said degree scale; a bracket (11) havingone end area, another end area and a middle area and being supported atsaid central borehole (14) of said angle measuring plate (10) by saidmiddle area (11a) so as to be rotatable and so as to extend in aplane-parallel manner relative to the angle measuring plate, saidbracket carrying a measuring tape case (12) positioned at said one endarea (11b); means for fastening said measuring tape case (12) on saidbracket in such a way that said measuring tape case can be folded downout of a vertical working position toward said angle measuring plate(10), the improvement comprising said bracket (11) having a guide (20)at said another end area (11c) for the measuring tape (19) which can bedrawn out of said measuring tape case (12), said guide (20) beingarranged in such a way that said measuring tape (19), when drawn out,extends away radially in an outward direction with its one lateral edgeover a center of said scale (13) on said angle measuring plate (10);means to lock said measuring tape case in the vertical working positionon said bracket, said lock means including a projection (24) provided onsaid bracket, said fastening means including a housing accommodatingsaid measuring tape case and supported on said bracket and beinglockable by said lock means in said working position at said projectionof said bracket.
 2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said projection(24) of said bracket (11) clamps said measuring tape (19) at saidhousing (21) in said working position of said measuring tape case (12),which is provided with a restoring spring.
 3. Device according to claim2, wherein said measuring tape (19) has a free end which carries ahandle clip (31) forming a stop at said housing (21) of said measuringtape case (12) when said measuring tape (19) is rolled in and having alongitudinal side which is aligned with said measuring tape (19) andsaid edge (29) of said bracket (11) and comprises a notch (33) at saidfree end (19a) of said measuring tape (19).
 4. Device according to claim1, wherein said guide of said measuring tape (19) at said end area (11c)of said bracket (11) remote of said measuring tape case (12) includestwo guide ribs (20) which are formed laterally at said bracket (11),said measuring tape (19) being guided between said two guide ribs (20).5. Device according to claim 1, wherein said measuring tape has alongitudinal side leading over the center of said scale (13), and saidbracket (11) comprises an edge (29) in said end area (11c) which coverssaid scale (13) of said angle measuring plate (10), which edge (29) isaligned with said longitudinal side of said measuring tape (19) leadingover the center of said scale (13).
 6. Device according to claim 1, saidfastening means including a hinge (22) by means of which said housing(21) is supported on said bracket.
 7. Device according to claim 1, saidlock means including a catch (23) by means of which said housing islockable in said working position at said projection (24) of saidbracket (11).
 8. Device according to claim 7, wherein said housing has asupport (27) for said measuring tape (19), said support (27) beingformed on said housing (21) of said measuring tape case (12) near saidcatch (23), said support (27) effecting a clamping of said measuringtape (19) with said projection (24) of said bracket (11) in said workingposition of said measuring tape case (12) and cancelling said clampingwhen said measuring tape case is folded down.